MZ only hunting areas - not seasons

[bbassi]

I have been reading with interest and some concern on this thread about how people want a traditional only season. Here in NY we have 2 state parks that are open to bow and MZ only for deer hunting. I have hunted one of them and had a great time. Now granted, the MZ is not limited to "traditional" guns, but it does extend the time that MZ hunters can hunt w/o competing with shotgun hunters. We can hunt there for over 5 weeks w/o competing with the regulars.

For what it is worth, I think we as a group may have better luck trying to push for MZ (traditional) only AREAS as opposed to MZ only seasons. The facts are that we are a small fraternity, and frankly I like it that way. Common sense says we don't have the political power to influence legislation in our direction (especially if we exclude the modern MZ crowd). But we may have enough support to convince the powers that be to allow certain areas to become traditional MZ only areas. from there we may have the opportunity to push for more areas and/or seasons. I really think we have to look at this as a grass root, long-term effort.

I'm not trying to start anything divisive, but I wonder 2 things (ok, 3)

1 - does your state have any MZ only areas and have you hunted it (them)?
2- how long have they been that way and what is your observation of it's success? (from your POV)
3- what do you think of this idea? Smart, stupid, or worth further consideration.

Don't be afraid to flame me if you think I need it. I'm a big boy and I won't take it personally.

 

well i think its a good idea and has a real chance of working .
1) the groups that are going to meetings doing the research and got the original season are in most cases traditional in nature . Without these groups many of the season we now have would never be and IMO newer ones will not be put in place . The money is in the general season and out of state hunters . that

 

[Runner]

Our state used to have such hunts, then a separate season. To hunt that season, you had to choose the muzzleloader tag over the regular tag and you were limited to the muzzleloader in both seasons. None of the modern hunters would buy the tag and most of the muzzleloader crowd seemed more interested in using their centerfire rifles instead of a muzzleloader in the main season, even if that ment they could not hunt the muzzleloader portion. Then they changed it to any open tag left after the main was legal in the muzzleloader season, making the muzzleloader season a limited extention of the firearms season. Again, only the true enthusiasts saved tags for the muzzleloader portion. Now it is still any open tag, but the number of tags is unlimited. The muzzleloader season is a fiasco with groups of guys driving around in trucks and jumpinmg out to shoot with scoped inlines at deer running across fields 200 yards away on property that they don't have a clue who owns or where the people may be one it. Since the bow season has been open since September 15th, there will have been three days of the youth season, 11 days of the general season in November, and a month of turkey hunters in October before the muzzleloader season, a lot of folks don't sit in the woods where sightings are now few and far between. They just carry an inline in the truck and shoot out the windows at everything they see. I am working towards getting a couple of the managed hunts returned to true primative weapons status, but no luck so far. Not only is the MDC not very open to the suggestion, the inliners themselves jump up and down at any sign that the traditional people might get to hunt without them. One can only hope for the future and try to get things changed.

 

[AZ-Robert]

For what it is worth, I think we as a group may have better luck trying to push for MZ (traditional) only AREAS as opposed to MZ only seasons.

Excellent idea. I've seen places with archery-only hunting areas, so extending the idea to ML seems viable.

 

[3 stinky dogs]

I do beleave that there are archery only area's around Houston and when I lived in Tn I was in an area that was also Bow's only due to close corters and noise.But I have never herd of muzzle loaders only.A hunting out fit I have read about would guide hunts that were primative weapons only but the new manager banned all ML's and Compound bows.It was called Mose John's.It changes with the management so I dont know how it is now.

 

Might work in states that have a lot of public lands to hunt on--mebbe set aside certain areas of State or National Forests for ML only? Some states have public hunting lands set aside already. Where I have been living in recent years, good huntable public land is rare as hen's teeth. Most good hunting is on leases or other private lands. A lot has changed since I started hunting, a lot of access has been lost to the average joe. The few public areas are overhunted, poorly managed and avoided by game for the most part....also mucho poaching. I have greatly reduced my hunting time because of these things....a traditonal ML only area or two would sure get me back into the woods!

 

[Tahquamenon]

I'm not in favor of designated DMU areas for ML hunting only.

The reasoning is then riparian owners are left excluded if the area designated is not where they happen to own land. The other thing is what about the owners in a DMU that are not interested in traditional ML hunting? This excludes them as well.

True there is quite a bit of state game areas to hunt.

I would rather have statewide traditional/primitive muzzleloading seasons. That way riparian owners are included. This is not just so land owners may hunt their own properties.

Several land owners also participate in our Michigan Hunters Access Program. This is where the DNR leases lands from private owners to permit public access to hunt private lands. The HAP programs are designed to be first come first reserved and daily permits of a limited number.

Another thing to consider is states that have a commercial forestry program. Michigan has 2.2 million of acres here that are designated commercial forestry. The property listed in this program is under the ownership of nearly 1300 private landowners. Landowners include private individuals, clubs, forest industry, and other businesses.

I know because I own land that I manage under the CF. This is private lands open to the public for hunting and fishing privledges.

With designated DMU's only for ML hunting, the we would be excluding large amounts of available hunting areas.

Perhaps a combination of statewide and DMU ML hunting? Michigan already has special DMU hunts infrequently now and then, often sponsored in conjunction with private land owners (typically farmers). But the focus it typically for herd reductions, so the DNR is most interested in just that, reducing the herd in that area.

 

[arcticap]

I wonder if a M.L. only deer hunting area was created, it might necessitate the creation of a draw system where there was none before in order to limit the number of hunters allowed or else the deer could get hunted out when the area became too popular. If the area being proposed for this idea had a fairly good concentration of animals, lots of thick cover, a challanging terrain (i.e. steep) or was otherwise isolated in a way that generally limited the area's huntability, then those might be viewed as favorable determining factors towards implementating the new concept.:m2c:

 

[CrackStock]

I am not sure, but I was hearing about Lake Ophelia and Tensas having drawings for ML only. I was not sure if it was for the season in that area or just a season in those areas.

I was transfered and on my way when I heard about it and had been hunting private land anyway.

CS

 

[Hoyt]

Well it would be nice to have a primitive weapon season somewhere here in florida..flintlocks or side locks and stickbows..would suit me. However it looks like we are going to get a crossbow season..who needs it I don't know..just use them during bow season..and use the season purposed for crossbow for flintlocks anyway here is what is purposed..This is really ridiculus..a crossbow season.

Establish a 10 day crossbow season in the South and Central zones, shift the nine-day muzzleloading gun season five days later (current nine-day season contains two weekends, proposed nine-day season contains one weekend); establish the bag limit for deer taken during the proposed crossbow season at two antlered deer; and , clarify that take of antlerless deer during crossbow season is allowed only by an antlerless deer permit and that the aggregate daily bag of antler less and antlered deer shall not exceed two.

 

[AZ-Robert]

I was just looking through the AZ hunting regs to answer a question posed on another thread and discovered AZ has areas set aside for bows and ML only. The lottery (draw) system of tags here makes that fact not easily discernable, but there it is. It is a pretty sizable area north and west of Kingman.

Centerfire hunters are allowed in the area only for "limited opportunity" hunts - that is what we call hunts targeted at a specific animal that is either wintering over in areas they don't normally stay, or that is migrating into areas where they are not normally found.

 

[canyonman]

I think, those of us out west, have a different view of things. We don't have anywhere near the deer population that many of the eastern states do.

So that being said, if you take Oregon for example, virtually all of our M/L hunts are in designated areas, consisting of one or more game units and all but two are on a lottery system.

There are a couple of Whitetail hunts, up in the N/E corner of the state, that are not popular enough to completely fill quotas on the first go around. What this means is if you make it your first choice, you are all but ensured a tag for that hunt.

Traditionally these Whitetail hunts have always been this way, however my favorite Mule deer hunt started out with about a 90% chance for a tag, when it originated, now it has less than a 12% chance the last time I checked. So if (for whatever reason) the Whitetail hunts should gain in popularity, the chances of getting a tag will deminish accordingly.

There are a few doe only hunts, as well, that don't routinely fill out in the first go around. To hunt elk with a M/L, you pretty much figure on hunting every other year depending on your luck at the lottery draw and all of these are in designated areas as well.

Larry

 

[Hoyt]

Forgot to say that we do have a few muzzleloader only WMA's here in Fl. they are all any type muzzleloader areas. The one I hunt most you can use modern shotguns during spring gobbler season, but deer and hogs seasons it's muzzleloader only. The only reason we have those type areas is because they are all in close proximity to homes on the boundary line and they don't want any high power rifles used.

 

[arcticap]

That's really what we need to do here (let M.L.'s in with bow hunters, even if it's a limited area). The state took away our early m.l. only deer season years ago and put us last, after many deer are harvested. We do have the freedom to hunt any state land now without a draw, but the bow hunters get the first & most opportunity. I think that anything proposed here would need to be really primitive just to show it could work (like F.L. or smoothbore only, etc...). Thanks for the feedback and mentioning the precedent. :front: